Memories of a Life That Never Happened

Chapter 8 - Acquaintances

"Wow!" Alan slapped his own cheeks. "Does your mom know? Do you think she wants a divorce?" 

Theo lifted his head. "I'd be happy for her if she did. I have no clue why she puts up with my dad." 

Alan pulled Theo into a side hug "Well, I hope you are wrong," he said patting his friend's arm. "I like your parents. Besides, it'd be tough for all of you, especially your mom. She wouldn't have the same lifestyle, you know?" 

Theo scoffed. "You think the money comes from my dad?" 

Alan was a bit disconcerted. "Doesn't it?"  

"Hell no!" Theo exclaimed, frowning. "At first, my mom's dad didn't want them to get married. He worried my dad only cared about the money, because his family had name, but was notoriously broke." 

"What made him change his mind?" 

A skinny boy in his early twenties appeared behind the counter and placed large green coconuts in front of them. "Here you go. Three coconuts. Straws are over there." 

"Thanks," said Theo, sliding the money on the countertop. "Keep the change." He left the drinks untouched and turned back to Alan. "I don't know. I guess my mom did."  

"You know, I never planned to tell you anything but-." Alan paused for a moment before going on.  

"What? But what?" Theo pressed. 

"My dad..." Alan wiped off the sweat dripping from his hairline. "Men, it's hot in here!" He puffed his cheeks and pulled his t-shirt back and forth several times to ease the heat. "I heard him joking around with some friends. He said that only a man who doesn't mind being a cuckold would leave his wife unattended near your father." 

Theo hit his book hard against the counter. "That's what I'm saying! He doesn't even bother exposing my mom like that. That pisses me off!"  

"Hi Theo! Hey Alan," they heard a booming voice say behind them.  

The first thing they saw as the swiveled was a big white cowboy hat. Then their eyes lowered to the lanky girl wearing it. She had brown hair and eyes and a nose tip as round as her face. Even her lips were freckled and, when she smiled at them, her teeth were flawless and clearly aligned to perfection by the extensive use of braces.  

"Hey there, Bianca," Alan said before exchanging a meaningful look with Theo. "I didn't know you were coming to Buriti." 

"Don't be silly!" She gave the air a soft slap. "Where else would I be?"  

Theo was suddenly livid and apparently mute as well.  

"If you're wondering if Lilian is here," Bianca said looking straight into his eyes, "don't you worry. She's in Bahia. I invited her and her sister to come with us, but their family had made other plans." 

"Good for them," Alan said. "Better for us," he whispered to Theo, elbowing his ribs. 

"So..." Bianca put a hand on her waist. "The party's all everyone talks about. Is it true that Michael Jackson's coming?" she asked, hoping to be right.  

"I have no idea," Theo's lips twitched downward until his lower lip thrust out.  

Bianca reached behind them and took Theo's book from the counter. "Great Expectations?" she giggled. "That's your idea of summer reading?"  

Theo, however, was not amused. Classic English literature was his Achilles heel and he did not enjoy when people made fun of him because of his literary interests.  

"Too many pages for you?" he snapped. 

"Way too sad for me. I'd choose a magazine over it anytime."  

Bianca did not seem to bother with his sarcasm, but tipped her cowboy hat and said, "I'll see you around."  

Theo and Alan followed her with their eyes as she set off to a table at the restaurant's deck. Not too far from where Bianca had sat, but on a quiet corner, Theo spotted Nick and Leo. Sharing their table were two other boys.  

The strangers were sitting with their backs turned to Theo, so he could not see their faces. Shirtless torsos, however, revealed their muddy-toned, stained skin. These boys looked incompatible with the rest of the crowd, comprised of people who were either attractive or well groomed. Anyhow, Theo did not pay too much attention to his brother, for his mind was still tackling other concerns. Realizing that water had pooled under their coconuts, Theo and Alan collected their drinks and returned to the shade of their umbrella.  

They sipped avidly the contents of their fruits while each indulged in his favorite beach pastime. For Theo, it was his book, but Alan would rather people-watch. Every so often, Alan would interrupt his reading to show him something he judged interesting. First, it was an older man, helping a young boy, probably his son, to fly an elaborate dolphin-shaped kite. Next, he had found a much more interesting sight and poked Theo to indicate two curvy girls basking a few steps ahead of them. Their tiny jewel-colored bikinis barely covered the swell of their female forms. There was too much bare, glowing flesh for Theo to resist putting his book down for a moment. The final prod came when a trio approached their spot. Two girls and a boy.  

"Who are they?" Alan asked and forced his friend to look up. 

Theo recognized the girl because of the way she walked. Even on that lazy morning, she strode as if it was a task to be accomplished. Behind her, the unknown couple struggled to keep her brisk pace and lagged behind.  

"The girl with short hair is Joana Lavray," Theo said, tilting his chin at the group. "Nick will deny it to death, but he has a huge crush on her. Joana's older than him and the best part is that she totally ignores him." 

Alan examined Joana for a second, but his attention fell on the dainty blonde girl next to her. "Who's the other chick?"  

After a quick investigative glance, Theo shrugged. "No idea." 

Joana had recognized them too and changed direction to meet them.  

"Nicholas, Theo, hello. What a pleasant surprise. I thought I'd only see you tonight." She greeted them both with three kisses. 

"Likewise, Joana." Nicholas, who had stood up at the sight of her, put the magazine down on his chair. The cover was deliberately visible. "And who would this lovely couple be?"  

Her tone was courteous but listless. "I'd like to introduce you to Monsieur Jean-Pierre Pinault and his sister, Mademoiselle Virginie Pinault."  

"This is Alan, my friend," Theo thought he ought to say.  

Joana spared the boy a quick glance. "Yes. Nice to meet you, Alan. Jean-Pierre, Virginie, this is Nicholas Chuster, the master of the ball," Joana told them in French, fawning on Nicholas. "And these are Theo, his son, and Alan." 

Nicholas cast a practiced simper at the foreigners. "Enchanté," he said with a mild bow.  

"Ditto," Alan confided to Theo. "I already have my pick for tonight." 

"Lucky you," Theo said, a bit snappy.  

It was not that Theo did not want Alan to have a good time. And true, he would rather spend the night alone. But the more snuggly couples pranced around him, the harder it was to lose sight of what he missed. 

"Hey, you're only going to be alone if you want to," Alan told Theo, as if he could read his mind. "It is obvious that Bianca digs you. She is cute, single and falling on your lap. If you two hooked up, it'd be quite a slap on Lilian's little doll face."  

Theo had no witty comebacks to throw at Alan. In fact, he could not help but wonder whether Alan was right. Even if one night stands where not his thing. As much as he thought of Bianca as foolish and flashy, maybe it was best to keep her close. Perhaps spending New Year's Eve with her could mean a lonely night less in his tardy calendar.